Cerebral Palsy Benefits of Rolfing

Cerebral palsy--caused by brain damage in the first two years of life--leads to loss of motor control. This results in spasms and involuntary movements. Rolfing is a bodywork technique that focuses on connective tissue that supports your organs, nerves, tissues and bones. Research indicates it might be helpful for certain people afflicted with this condition, but not all.

Research

• One study, published in a 1981 volume of Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, studied the effects of Rolfing on 10 cerebral palsy patients whose condition ranged from mild to severe.

Walking Speed

• Gait velocity--or walking speed--improved in those with mild to moderate cerebral palsy. The study notes only mild improvement for the moderate group.

Cadence and Stride Length

• People with mild cerebral palsy improved their cadence--steps per minute--and stride length. No other group reported improvement in this area.

Muscle Strength

• Rolfing did not appear to enhance muscle strength in any of the patients.

Conclusions

• The study indicated Rolfing might provide some benefit to people with mild cerebral palsy, but would not do much for people with moderate to severe cases. It notes that severe patients did not improve in any area the study was attempting to measure.